The purpose of machines has always been to make the work of human beings easier, and improve productivity by enhancing efficiency. Ever since the invention of the wheel, we have become ever so dependent on various machines to make our lives easier. If you are a user of a Mac, you understand exactly what we mean here.
As is the case with most of Apple’s products, Macs are fantastic pieces of gadgetry. Whether they are used for work, for playing games, to listen to music or even to watch movies, Macs are reliable and easy to use. The Mac OS is designed such that user convenience and ease are more than adequately focused on, and Apple strives to improve the overall user experience for both new as well as advanced users.
We define productivity and efficiency as your ability to get a lot more done within a certain span of time with lesser effort. What greatly helps with this are some handy tips and tricks that you can implement on your Mac. These tips will help you get the most out of your Mac while helping you get your work done with greater convenience. So let’s dive right in!
1. Use planner apps
One of the most basic functions of any computer is to help you seamlessly organize your activities. You should consider using the best planner app for Mac and iPhone so that you are better able to keep track of the tasks you need to complete, events and appointments you need to attend, and generally remain more productive and up to date with your to-do list.
2. Learn keyboard shortcuts
Even though using a shortcut saves you at most two to three seconds on average, it is the cumulative benefit of using shortcuts that will save you countless hours of valuable time every year, especially with regard to tasks that are routine and repetitive in nature. Here are some of the most popular shortcuts on Mac computers:
- Command+Space: use this shortcut to search for anything on your Mac or even the internet by pulling up the Spotlight feature.
- Command+X, Command+C, Command+V: Fairly obvious to some, these are the shortcuts for cut, copy and paste, respectively. Using these shortcuts will save you the extra seconds you spend right-clicking and selecting these options.
- Command+Tab: This is a handy shortcut, especially for multitaskers. If you are working with multiple tabs or apps open, clicking to and from each tab becomes tedious. Use this shortcut to easily transition between each app so that you exert minimal effort.
You can find a complete list of Mac shortcuts here.
3. Declutter your screen
It is well known that clarity and neatness have a positive correlation with being able to focus and concentrate on the task at hand, so removing the unnecessary files and folders scattered across your desktop screen will help your brain process information better as there are far fewer items on the screen competing for your attention. It is recommended that you use your desktop screen only to store data temporarily, and that you delete what you do not need or transfer them into a folder. Additionally, if you have a clean desktop screen that is free of clutter, your Mac will run faster as it will find the required files quicker. This happens because your Mac uses additional resources to display all the extra icons on your desktop screen.
4. Empty your trash bin regularly
Once you have cleared the useless and unnecessary items from your desktop screen, do keep in mind that you need to empty the trash folder as well, because whatever files and folders you delete from the desktop will still remain on your Mac. What’s more, your Mac won’t run any faster from having more free space because the files that are in your trash folder are still files that are stored in the Mac’s memory.
5. Use iCloud
The biggest advantage of using iCloud is the fact that all your files and data are linked to your Apple ID, which you can access at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection. You will also not need to worry about losing your files, folders, photos, documents, and any other valuable information as they are all stored in a remote server and you can retrieve them from your iCloud storage even if you mistakenly delete something.
6. Use the dictation feature
Imagine actually telling your Mac what to do. Dictation is a feature that lets you do exactly that. Even though this feature is not the best suited for a typical office environment, it is perfect for when you’re not working on a lot of things at once. You can enable the voice control option by opening the Apple Menu, selecting System Preferences and then going to Accessibility. You can browse the commands that your Mac already knows, and you can even add your own commands too!
With these simple tips in mind, you can keep your Mac running smoothly and without any reduction in performance. After all, isn’t it the purpose of gadgets to make our lives easier?
